I'm going to start stirring the pot right off the bat! I want all you Non pavement lovers out there to sound off and let me know what the best state is to wheel in and why.  Lets get some real discussion going on here not only do you have a chance to defend you state but you'll also help others find good places to wheel.  

Thanks deadlift73  

I would say California but I don't want any more people to move here. But please feel free to visit.

reasons:

-proximity to open, legal trails no matter where you are in the state.

-the weather

-Hammer Trails and Johnson Valley

-Rubicon trail

-Fordyce

-Death Valley

-Shaver Lake trails

-Big Bear

-Mojave Desert

need I say more. . . .  

Well I'm going to have to say i agree to a point, but the Black Hills in South Dakota is the one true place to off road.  If you don't believe come and visit and I'll take you into gods country.  

Terrain-wise, maybe California, but man, the ninnies with the BLM and the state parks sure make it hard on off-roaders. I don't know how Utah is regulation-wise, but I think it's definitely got some of the most dramatic and scenic trails, from what I've seen.  

Oregon because it has the craziest 6ft mud holes which means 35'' and over.  

Arizona:
Even though we have our share of zealous greenies, we have:
-Historic trails
-Scenic trails
-Some of the hardest/best Rock-crawlin' trails
-These trails are dispersed evenly throughout the state.  You can wheel up North when it is hot down South, and you can wheel down South when the trails are impassable by snow up North.  You can wheel in the trees, you can wheel in the desert.
-Miles and miles of trails. Vast expanses of public land.  Camp out on the trail and keep going the next day!!!!
-Best weather/wheeling day ratio in the US
-and...cause I live here. LOL!  

So many states have great off-roading, but I have to say that Utah has some of the best around.  From the slickrock in the southern part of the state (both sides of the state, by the way), to sand dunes in Little Sahara, Coral Pink, and Sand Mountain, to high alpine trails in the mountains, Utah has it all.  Also, don't forget the world-class parks in Utah, many of which allow milder backcountry exploring on dirt roads that offer scenery that takes your breath away.  

Utah.  This is the place.  Drive on.